Mail-bag-catching apparatus.



H. W. GROOK. MAIL BAG GATCHING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 26,1907.

902,37?. Patented m2?, ma.

2 MEETS-'SHEET 1.

l NvEN-rnp E. W. 0300K. MAIL BAG GATGHIG APPBTUS.

APPLIOATION FILED 001x126, 1907.

Patented 0011.27, i908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HERBERT W. CROOK, OF CHICAGO, lLLlNOIS,

Mlii-B AIG-C ATCHXNG APFARATUS.

ne. scesi-"7.

, Specfxcation of Lettere Patent.

eten'ted Get. 27, i998 .Application led QctobenZ, 1907. Serial No.V339,243.

To .all'wlmm 'it may. concern: I

Be it known that l, Herinner lV. Circoli,

citizen of the United States, residing at in the county oli look and,State 1 Chicago, ot illinois, 'nave invented certain new and usefullmrnfovements in Mail-Bag-Uatching .p i arairis, of which'the followingis a specitlcation.

is'ly invention relates to the transportation et mail, and. has special.reference to applianc-es designed totacilitate the delivery of mail 'insacks from a 'ast moving train without slacltcning speed. rEhedill'iculties attending the successful accomplishment of this seemingly`simple procedure are well known, and the apparatus devised to aid inattaining netter results have their imperfections. 'll'hen mail bags arethrown from the train upon the platform, there is danger oiI injuringboth bags and their contents and it hasfrequently happened that, meetingwith some obstacle, the bag has rolled beneath the train there to he cutin pieces by the whe l and the mail. matter scattered and destroyed. Theappliances in vogue are also liable to cut and ahrade the sacks and thusfar have proved unreliable or injurious.

It is the chierl object ot my invention te furnish an improved sare andreliable ap pare-.tus :tor transferring mail sacks from a swiftly movingtrain 'toa mail cart and in the accomplishment et this purpose'l employthe apparatus which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings wnichform a part ot' this application, and in whicl.:-

.Figure l is a side elevation of a inailAv car equipped with asackholdirngV device and a special vehicle for receiving the deliveredsack; llilf. 2 is an end view of the car and apparatus shown in Fig. l;Fic. 3 is a side eleva-tion, enlarged, of the sack holder detached fromthe car, and Figs. L'land 5 are side and edge views, respectively, ofthe tripping hooks l in appliance forv the purpose speciied must ofvnecessity consist of tvs/l int-erde pendent mechanisms; a holding`device which will support-the mail. saclr at a point sufficiently remotefrom the body of: the mov.- ing car to give clearance for theproperoperation. of the-mechanical.contrivance which releasesthesuspended bag. lirmy improved mail sack catcher these 'devices coactin the manner liereinarter set tort-h so that the sach will. hepositively delivered within4 a protective hood er chiite so constructed;that the velocity of the hap;v will he gradually diminished and thedevice presents onlyv smooth walls to receive the impact of the filledhug. injury to the said bag will he reduced to a minimum.'

Referring to the details olf the (,lrawinpj. the numeral .l0 indicates amail car, and LL the sideopehing or door 'ay Upon opposite sides of thisopening are fixed apcrtured lugs or eyes l2, which torni supports for aremovable frame or han` holder, the arrangement of the eyes permittingthe frame to be attached to either side of the door according. to thedirection in which the train is moving. The holding, frame consists ofan upright member 1S furnished with downwardly pro jecting lugs forming`pinlles 1l, which litthe apertures in said eyes l2. From cach end of themember 155 project arms 15,16, the lower arm 1G being shorter than theupper arm for.

a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The arms l5, lo. are secured tothe upright member in any suitable manner, and the junctions arestrengthened hyhraces 17,which, render the trame vertically rigid. Atthe end of the lower arm, and at a corresponding point upon the upperarm areheaded projections 1S, which servevas engaging lugs for thelooped ends or eyes 19, formed at the extremities ol the arms 20, of abifurcated tie or brace 2l. Tliis memloery is in tended to prevent theframe orholder from being swung laterally, and it acts especially as atie to resist the impact of the tripping means hereinafter described.The said tie is formed of'a. single rod the-inner endheiug twisted andturned downward: to form av hook 2Q which engages an eye ZS'iXed to thedoor side. rlhe hook is lockedinposition by an angle piece or latch 24-pivoted on.r a. holt 25 so that it can be swung aside to alf low thehook to befremoved. A similar latchy Q6 is used to. secure' the holdingframe in` position.

The outer end of' the upper arm 15 is turned at a right angle to form alange 27, and to this flange is pivoted ai block 28,-. a

lug 29 Fixed` in the side of the block termin the pivot. rlille block 28supports ay swive member or trip-30ormed of a fiati har, the lowerendviormed int/0 a hook. 31and'the up? per end reduced in sizeandiprovided with a,4 screw 82, which passes freely throu hsaid'.4 blockand is furnished with a flange -nritv 3B; which t .vithin avchannel 34.out; in the upper face orf the-block, andy whemthechannel.

,is engaged by the said nut the latter is pre 'vented from turning. thetrip 30 is adjustable relatively to said block, a` lock nut 35retaining` the flanged nut 33 in the desired position upon the screw 3Q.

The lower arm 16 is provided with an extension which consists of a lever3U pivotcd at 3T, to the end of said arm, the tree end of t-he leverhaving a flange similar to the flange 27 of the upper arm and invertical aiinement therewith when the lever`f36 is horizontal. To thisflange is pivoted a block and swiveled hook, similar in every respect tothe block 28 and hooked member 30, except that the parts are reversed sothat the hooked member projects upl vard instead of'l downward. To theinner end ofl the said lever 556 is attached a cable or light rod 3f),its upper end being connected to a spring 40 which is fastened to theupper arm 15. The object of the swiveled hooks 31 is to suspend the mailbag 41, Which is furnished with rings 42, in its ends, and these ringsengage the said hooks 31. The tension tif-the spring 40 upon the .lowerhook will be sutti-" cient to prevent a deviation ot the bag trom aperpendicular by the force of the air ourrents and swaying of the car. Aclip 36:* is secured to the inner end of the lower frame arln 1G, and isoffset from the'arm sufiiciently to receive the inner end of the lever36 when in extended position, thus preventing excessive strain upon thepivot 37 when the coacting member strikes the tripping member, in themanner hereinafter described. The 'bag being thus suspended t'ree fromthe car it will be necessary to supply some means for dislodgilig it asthe car passes a station and to do this lwith certainty and Withoutinjury to the bag or its contents I provide a special apparatusconsisting ot' a frame 43, supported upon ground wheels 44, and providedwith a tongue' 45. Upon the frame of the vehicle or truck is mounted abed or body 46, inclosed upon all sides except the front, which isprovided With an opening 47,.fur nished with flaring sides 4S, thusforniing a .chute or .funnel sufficiently capacious to receive thelargest mail sacks. The rootl of the body is curved as indicated at 49,and a door 50 gives ready access to the interior. rFhewehicle isanchored to resist the shock which' will be proportioned to the speedof.I the train and the weight of the 'sack caught therein. l innnobilizethe apparatus by means ot suitable rods 5l provided with hooks 52 fforjengagement with the l'rame of the truck, the lower ends supplied witheyes 53 through which are passed securing devices 54, toi-:ned hybending suitable rods to form -one or two coils about; the middle pointand having the ends bent. into hooks 56, which engage eyeI bolts 57,fixed m the platform 58. 'l`he coils 55 furnish sullieient re siliencyto hold the hooks :riti in engagement By this eoiistructionk with saideye-bolts but will permit of their 'lisengagement when the truck is tohe removed.

The method of operating the apparat'us is as follows: The frame havingbeen set in the position shown and a mail bag hung upon the swivel hooks31, the bag is ready tor delivery. Care must be taken that the openingsof the hooks which support the bag look towards the direction in, whichthe train moving. The station which is to receive the mail, preparesfor. the train by placing the truck in the position shown in. thedrawings and anchoring it securely in the manner shown. The eye-l .ilts57 being permanent fixtures the truck will always be positioned properlyto receive the sack. Care must be taken to face the flaring opening inthe direction ot the approaching train. lhe height of the upper andlower margins ot' the chute are so arranged that they will engage thehooked trips 3Q and the momentum of the moving frame will cause asufiicient impact to rock the said members upon their centers thusreleasing the sack which will be carried With some force against thecurved inner surface of the cover, and by this means the momentum willbe gradually lessened and the force with which the sack will strike thefloor will not Ibe sufficient to canse injury to the contents` As thetrips 30 are thrown backwards they will clear the body of the truck andtheir swivel connections with the blocks 28 permit their hooks to be setin either direction according to the train movement. rlhe frame can beswung upon the pintles tl so' as to be parallel with the side of the4car or may be entirely removed from engagentent with the eyes 12, andstored within the car.

Having thus described my invention what 't claim as new is V 1. Anapparatus for the purpose specified, i'nchiding` a frame attached to theside of a car, means for detachably supporting a mail .bag on saidtrame, a receiving device coactino' with said frame, said device,consisting of a receptacle mounted upon traction wheels and having anopening adapted to admit said mail bag, the margins of said openingadapted to engage the supports of said bau.

2. An apparatus for the purpose specified, including a trame attached tothe side of' a rar, n'ieans for detat-.hal'ily suspending a mail bag tosaid frame. a receiving apparatus coaeting with said trame, saidapparatus consistinj;` olt a receptacle mounted upon traction wheels andhaving an opening adapted to admit said bag. a curved surface arrangedto receive the impact. of the released mail bag, and means 'foranchoring said apparatns.

t3. An apparatus for the purpose speciiied including a frame ren'iovablyattached to the side of a. ear, a tripping device tor detach- -devicefor the purpose o truck'mounied upon Wheels,

ably suspending a mail bag to said frame,- a vreceiving receptaclemounted upon traction Wheels and adapted to en age said trippin tgdisengaging sa'i bag, and means for radually lcssening the momentum ofthe released bag.

4. A device for the purpose specified, including a frame attached totheside of a Car, atripping device for detachably suspending a bag fromsaid frame, a receptacle arranged in the path of theysaid frame', saidreceptacle mounted upon traction Wheels and coacting'with the trippingdevice, to detach said bag, means for gradually lessening the momentumof the released bag, and means for, anchoring said receptacle.

5. A device for the purpose specied, including frame 'attached tothecar, sWiv-, eled supports for a 'mail bag, a receiving a body supportedupon the truck and havingan opening to'receive a mail bag, the marginsof saidl opening adapted to engage said swiveled supports. when ,thccaris -in motion, and

means for anchoring said of said .f1-ame.

6. A device -for the purpose stated, including a frame removab1y.hingedto the' side of a car,` tripping members carried by said truck in thepath a cooperating receivino` truck comprlsing a body mounted uponWtlieels, a flaringV aperture for the body, and means for said truck tothe station platform. v

7. -An apparatus for the purpose specified,

y frame and arranged to .support a mail bag,

'said frame,

securing including'a-frame adapted to be attached device.

8.- An apparatus for the purpose specified, including a frame adapted tobe attached to the side of a'car, tripping devices for detachablysupporting a mail bag, a receiving apparatus consisting` of areceptaclemounte upon traction lwheels and having a Haring opening, a curved topfor the receptacle, a door, and means for anchoring the appa ratus. y

9. .An apparatus for the purpose stated, including a frame having hingedconnection with the 'side of a car, means for immobilizing said frame,swiveled tripping devices for detachably suspending a mail bag toreceiving means for said bag, said means consisting of a Wheeled truck,a body supported on the truck, said body arranged in the path of the toengagevsaid -swiveled tripping devices, a curved top for the body, adoor, and means for removably anchoring said truck.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature' in the presence of twoWitnesses. HERBERT W. UROOK. Witnesses .F. BENJAMINA H. DE Los HLGMANL

